Christian Unity and the Church

I recently read a book titled So-Called Christian by Jim Turner. This book is part confession, part exhortation. In it, Jim Turner confesses to his own sins of pride, jealousy, and discord, and explain how he came to see that such behavior is not only damaging to himself and his relationships, but also to the church at large and the church’s witness to the world.

By sharing personal stories and biblical insights, Jim Turner calls the church to restore unity and love within the Body of Christ.

Ironically, or maybe not surprisingly, I don’t agree completely agree with all the theology or biblical interpretations shared by Jim in his book. However—and here is the point—I am in full agreement (and unity) with Jim in his call for Christian to live in unity despite our differences. That’s the key. We will never all act the same way, dress alike, or believe the same things. But we can choose to get along in love and unity, knowing that others may see things differently than we do, but in Christ we are all one.

Jim shows that when we disagree with each other, we can practice unity by being kind, gentle, loving, and patient with others in our disagreements.

And yet, unity is much easier to write and talk about than to actually achieve. For example, in a short chapter about where to draw the line on unity, Jim Turner points to many texts which seem to teach that Christians should separate from those who stray from apostolic teaching (p. 121). But that is exactly the problem, isn’t it? What one person thinks of as a “fringe opinion” may be included in other person’s list of critical “apostolic teachings.”

Of course, Jim recognizes this tension, and spends a couple chapters at the end of the book saying that while this tension exists, we can still move toward unity by focusing not on doctrines and dogmas, but on Jesus Christ and the grace of God. When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and remember the grace that God has shown us, it becomes much easier to live in unity with others.

Comments

In reading publications from a non-denomination whose congregations split due to such major and crucially important theological issues as having a lavatory in the same building that the sanctuary is in, I’ve noticed that the “No-Group” is the group that argues from silence. The “Yes-Group” considers things, searching scripture for anything that implicitely, or explicitely prohibits/allows/requires/permits/cautions about/denies the disputed theological point to be adhered to.

By way of example, the Yes-Group found two or three verses that imply that perhaps bathrooms and sanctuaries should not be next to each other, but it is extremely ambigious. Not worth a theological fight. Not worth the discomfort to people attending a service. The Yes-Group was still willing to accept the No-Group as fellow believers. The No-Group disfellowshipped the Yes-Group.

Unity? What a topic. It pours off the lips like milk and honey. But in your rush to join something greater than yourself take care that you don’t disappear. Avoid the party mentality: the call to identify yourself with mankind, your religion, your ethnicity, your political bag, for as you’re singing Old Lang Syne, poof, you’re individuality has gone. Harmony is a better concept. Whatever you decide, remember that you stand before God on your own.

In his epistles Paul is far more concerned about church unity than ‘how to be saved’. Church unity is what Galatians is about after all. Paul’s concern is that there might become two groups, one kosher circumcised Christians and another set of uncircumcised gentile second class Christians. This is why he emphasises justification by faith so as to establish equality of membership for both Jews and Gentiles within God’s family. It is a shame therefore that at the Reformation the church split over the issue of justification by faith. This should have been unifying not divisive. It should unify today and not divide. We are all one by faith in Messiah Jesus. We are justified by faith in the Messiah not by believing the correct doctrine about justification.

How does he define unity? Many Christians I know think it means all Christians should think alike, live alike, and vote alike. Of course that means think like they do, live like they do and vote like they do.

My friend has a theory that not all “angels in disguise” are people who need food, shelter and clothes. Some appear to be drug dealers, prostitutes, LGBTQ’s, political radicals or whatever it might be that would push our buttons, including ranting, raving “Christians”. We decide if we will pass by on the other side of the road or their side (and show them the love of Jesus).

For Paul it was unity in the messiah which led to unity at the meal table. Thus the starting point for christian unity is ‘do we believe in the Messiah Jesus’ . Now for Paul Jesus was affirmed as the Messiah by the resurrection from the dead. So do we believe that Jesus was raised from the dead is important for christian unity. Then we can affirm our unity by taking communion together despite any secondary doctrinal differences. Consequently I dont think the catholics are not right to exclude non catholics from their mass. I’m from the UK (can we keep Scotland?) and in the last 50 years the church has become more united. This is partly due to the fact that the church has been in retreat and if you are small you soon realise that you cannot fight amongst yourselves.

TroubleUnderFoot has hit the nail squarely and forcefully on the head. How about not only Christians, but everyone live in “unity”, or rather harmony, despite our differences? “Separating from those who stray from apostolic teaching” in Christianity is just a small part of the much larger problem of religious intolerance among all faiths. I would add that another problem is the impression that many Christians seem to have that their faith has a monopoly on being kind, gentle, loving, and patient, and even a monopoly on God. Whatever your faith, whatever your religious roots are, your primary dogma should be that all people are God’s people, and that God’s love is for everyone. If any part of your belief system denies that, then something is wrong with it. Not everyone is ready yet for spiritual self-sufficiency of the sort that TUF promotes. But if you take comfort in the idea of being a shepherded lamb, remember that yours is not the only flock.

The China Daily has a rather interesting story that ties in well with our unity theme.

“China will continue to promote the development of Christian theology and establish a Chinese Christian theology, a top religious affairs official said on Tuesday.”

The article continues:

Wang [director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs] said Chinese Christian theology should be compatible with the country’s path of socialism. ?

“‘The construction of Chinese Christian theology should adapt to China’s national condition and integrate with Chinese culture’”

““A five-year campaign to promote Christian theology in China, launched in 2013, will provide theological guidance for church rostrums in China and will promote the positive and correct theological thinking.” ???

“The theological exchange campaign encourages more pastors, priests, believers and church volunteers to extract morals that are in line with the trend of the times from the Bible and other religious doctrines” ?

“This will encourage more believers to make contributions to the country’s harmonious social progress, cultural prosperity and economic development.” : )

You’ll notice if you read the full article (link below) that it’s exclusively about the protestant church, presumably Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches are a little more difficult for China to theologically adjust.

That’s the problem with the Tower of Bible, it’s not just Christian’s who want to control what scripture means, shockingly even Communist rulers want to dabble. But unity brothers, with your little black books.

The state will provide theological guidance and promote positive and correct theological thinking. That almost makes sense. They want a piece of the political power and potential inherent in structured religion, but a state that denies God cannot be expected to allow “theological thinking” to be based on personal experiences of God. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Chinese state endorsement of Christianity will help them extend their influence in Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe, so impart it’s a geopolitical game.

On the domestic front, China’s leaders may recognize that protestantism, with it’s myriad of denominations is a malleable tool: the protestant work ethic, submission to “scriptural” authority, apocalyptic programming, and unquestioning support for political and military agendas easily has as much potential to support communism as it does capitalism in the West. Indeed, with China experiencing ever greater internal cultural and economic tensions, China maybe exploring the benefits of a more theocratic model.

The Bible is clear that unity is found “in the Spirit,” not in a system of theology, a race of people or anything like that. Truth is not ideas and propositions, but a person (Jesus/the Holy Spirit). We follow the voice like sheep and a shepherd. Everyone thinks they are right, and no one agrees on everything the same way (even Neo-calvinists and Neo-Anabaptists). “Live worhty of our calling….the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:1-6). “We all drink of one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:12-27). “You are all one in Christ” (Gal. 3:28). God’s plan is to unite all into Christ (Eph. 1:10). “You all have one teacher and you are all brothers” (Mat. 23:8). My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. They SHALL become one flock with one shepherd (John 10:16, 27). This is why Cessationalism and Enlightenment rationalism is so destructive. It seeks Orthodoxical unity around reason and systems of beliefs, but there is also Orthopraxy (unity around practice) and Orthokardia (unity around the heart/spirit). Unity, reconciliation, peace, and the Spirit is the heart of the Gospel. . . . Thank you Jeremy for your posts! I’m with you 100% (in Spirit 😉

Yes the church is constituted ‘in the Messiah’ and ‘in the Spirit’ and not (as much reformed teaching says) ‘what you think about justification by faith (alone)’. For by ONE Spirit we were all baptized into ONE body 1.Cor 12.13.